My Night Out Essentials: What I Take With Me When I Hit The Town

My Night Out Essentials: What I Take With Me When I Hit The Town

For years my night out essentials would include everything that was in my daytime handbag--meaning, I carried way too much stuff with me. Sunglasses, pens, candy, crumpled up receipts, a notebook, and credit cards. You name it, I had it in there. These were things I didn’t need when I was out at dinner, or at a bar, or club for a few drinks. One day I saw a cute (but very small) studded clutch and decided to purchase it. From that day forward I made the decision to let go of the excess baggage so to speak, and only bring with me what I truly needed. Here’s what I keep inside my nighttime handbag.

Waldorf Jeweled Chain Party Bag

Henri Bendel

$398 $199

This past Christmas the number one item on my wishlist was this textured leather, Henri Bendel jeweled handbag. There are so many reasons why this is my favorite purse. I love how it can be dressed up or down, and how it will make any outfit stand out. It’s small but you can still fit your essentials into it, and of course, the quality of Bendel’s purses are first-rate in my opinion. The inside is lined in satin with Bendel’s signature logo, and it showcases Bendel’s custom hardware in silver. I think it’s important that every women owns a stylish black evening bag. It doesn’t have to be expensive; just something that is classic and chic.

West 57th Coin Purse

Henri Bendel

$68

I needed a small wallet to fit into my new handbag, so I opted for this violet Bendel’s textured leather coin purse. It’s ideal for my night out essentials; license, credit card, a few business cards, and a small amount of cash. The snap closure keeps everything in place so I don’t have to worry about losing anything. When I was younger it was a regular occurrence for me to lose my wallet, which would mean the hassle of having to cancel all my credit cards. Now, I only bring what I’m going to be using and leave the rest at home.

Keychain and Apartment Key

Henri Bendel

$38

I received this “Bendel Girl” keychain as a gift a few years ago. I’ve been using it ever since and it still looks brand new. It’s no longer available, (it is on sites like eBay and Poshmark) but you can find similar ones onhenribendel.com. Before I go out, I make sure to have my apartment key and my electric key fob on my keychain. There’s no need to be weighed down with keys I’m not going to be using.

Fruity and Fresh 5-Pack PocketBac Hand Sanitizer, $6

PocketBac Holder, $3.75

Bath and Body Works

An item that is always with me--no matter what--is hand sanitizer. Living in Los Angeles and always being on the go, it’s not always possible to be near a restroom, so this is constantly coming out of my bag and being applied to my hands. I adore how they’re small, that they come in a variety of scents, and that they smell great. I bought this Pocketbac holder a few months ago, and it came with gel pens to create your own design. It’s no longer available but you can shop similar holders on their website.

"Deep Cherry" Red Liquid Matte Lipstick

Winky Lux

$13

I save the bold red lips for the evening and Winky Lux’s “deep cherry” matte lipstick is my go-to nighttime color. It’s made with real vanilla and avocado oil, and it’s not only long lasting but it conditions my lips as well. In the past I was constantly running into the issue of applying my lipstick at home only to find that when I arrived at my destination the color had started to disappear or even worse--bleed. My lips ended up looking like Courtney Love, circa 1993. I was given this as a gift and I’ll never buy another brand of red lipstick again.

"Deep Ruby" Lip Liner To Go

Sephora

$6

Since I’m always looking for smaller versions of my favorite makeup products, I was happy to come across Sephora’s lip liner to go. I already knew that I would love it since I use the regular size each day. For me, it’s really important to find a good quality lip liner (especially when I’m using red tones) that stays in place and doesn't smudge. The deep ruby color goes perfectly with Winky Lux’s deep cherry matte lipstick.

Diamond Crushers “Choke” Iridescent Lip Topper

Lime Crime

$18

This is my all time favorite makeup product! It gives your lips a nice iridescent violet glow, and “Diamond Crushers ” is a perfect name for it. If you smashed a ton of crystals and then applied them to your lips--this is what it would look like. I love how it smells, that it stays on your lips and doesn’t fade (even when sipping drinks all night), and it can be worn over any lipstick, or even by itself.

Flower Jelly Lipstick with Real Gold Flakes

Kailijumei

$12

Kailijumei’s Flower Jelly Lipsticks went viral not too long ago. From news websites to beauty bloggers; it seemed like that’s all everyone was talking about, and I can see why! I got this limited edition version for Christmas, so this exact one is no longer available, but you can buy a similar one. It’s made with real gold flakes, and a dried flower. There’s a dye in it called “Red 27”, so when you apply it the clear lipstick turns your lips various shades of pink (depending on your skin tone). It’s long lasting, and turns winter dry lips into soft kissable lips.

Pink Sugar Perfume Vial

Aquolina

$.70

I collect perfume samples to take with me when on the go. Pink Sugar is one of my all time favorite fragrances (I can go through a 30 ML bottle in a few months), so I love this mini vial that I can just throw in my bag. The scent is incredible. It’s very light, and smells like warm vanilla; with notes of bergamot, fruit, cotton candy, and caramel.

Comic Book Compact Mirror

Hello Kitty

$12

I make sure to never leave my apartment without a mirror in my handbag. Have you ever tried applying lipstick without one? It’s not pretty. I’m a huge fan of all things Hello Kitty, so when I saw this brightly colored compact mirror, I had to buy it.